Digital One Line Link (DOLLx8) is a technology architecture that consists of data communication protocol, synchronous serial data bus and a communication system for embedded systems and electronics. DOLLx8 use ASCII characters in its data protocol, differential signaling in the bus system, where the communication consists of an active long-distance technology based on system logic where handling of the communication is done automatically by the microcontroller and its internal embedded Real-time operating system (RTOS) and software.
A traditional local area network (LAN) is based on Ethernet, a network system used in personal computers where one PC is able to talk to another PCs. In embedded systems, RS-232 TTL (Transistor-Transistor Logic) has dominated the market over a longer period of time as the most common communication standard that also works as an internal embedded network system. With the use of MAX 232 integrated circuit (IC), the RS-232 TTL may connect to an external RS-232 connection where the immediate advantage of using MAX 232 is that there is no need of using positive and negative power supply. It is also possible to connect to USB via RS-232 to USB converter, and even if the original standard for RS-232 was basically a point-to-point system for the serial port on PCs, it is still possible to use RS-232 in small local area network using micro-controller and source code to control the signals and data transmission.
A DOLLx8 embedded network uses its own specific interface system named DOLLx8 Dataport that via DOLLx8 eMaster unit connects to external RS-232 and from there to USB directly, but requires the installation of a separate DOLLx8 driver. DOLLx8 runs on its own internal clock system that allows the DOLLx8 Dataport bus speed to be independent of the RS-232 baud speed set on the PC side, and can thus be determined by the user. With DOLLx8, USB works as a virtual communication port and can be set to a maximum speed of 128,000 kbps.
MISOLIMA
MISOLIMA is a registered trademark of FIKO Software Co., Ltd. and are being used for all products from FIKO Software which also includes products other than software, electronics and embedded systems. One such product-range is MISOLIMA Home and OfficesMISOLIMA house and office House with DOLLx8 home automationComplete built Unit Housing Thai Board of Investments approvals 22 August 2011 that is ready-built modular houses supplied with DOLLx8 technologies such as home automation, solar cells and GSM alarm. MISOLIMA accounts for most of the product developments in cooperation with other companies that use DOLLx8 technologies, where MISOLIMA gets grants from the National Innovation AgencyNational Innovation Agency (NIA) in the development of DOLLx8 for Android.
MISOLIMA established Thailand's first foreign owned software and technology park in Chiang Mai in 2001/2002 with approvals from the Thailand Board of Investment under the name Cyber Media Park for e-Gravity (CMPEG)" Bangkok Post, 20 March 2002Human resource development toward a knowledge-based economy: The case of Thailand Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization (IDE-JETRO)] 2003 Page 8 where the name was later on changed to MISOLIMA Software and Technology Park (MSTP)."Software Park to be established north", 14–16 February 2000, Prah Cha-Chat Turakit, Business newspaper in Thai, page 1 and page 23"New Technology Park in Thailand", article in Nikkei Industrial Daily – Tokyo, Japan. 27 December 2000"Software Park opens in Chiang Mai, Thailand", Article in Financial Times, United Kingdom (via Bangkok office) March 2001"Special report – Eastern Promises", e-Biz Magazine, page 32-35, UK May 2001"MISOLIMA – Eastern Opportunity", Business Online – UK Internet Magazine, July 2001 MSTP consists of 11 400 square meters (122 708 square feet) land area with main building of 1 600 square meters (17 222 square feet).
History
The first DOLL (Digital One Line Link) version was developed as a joint project between Norway, England and Hungary"Belső erősítés MPC-knek", PC World Hungary, August 1994"Magyar multimédia", Heti Chip Magazine 3rd year, 16th edition April 1994"A DOLL interface rendzer", Gödölői Forró Drót, 3rd year, 46th edition, December 1994"Erősítők Veresegyháztól Thaifőldig" By Dombi Gábor, Magyar Népszabadság – TECHNICA, 4 January 1995"Az új SAMA 4040", CHIP Magazine, 7th edition – June 1995 by Anne Selene FIKO and her team in the early 1990s and was used in home automation, electronic control- and audio system. The early DOLL system"2x10 Watt in you PC", BYTE Magazine USA, March 1995"Hi-Fi on a card", BYTE International, June 1995 was back then based on 18 – bit Pulse-width modulation (PWM) where the communication was 120 Khz and was divided into 10-bit address and 8-bit data word. The signal was sent three times before the electronics of the receiver side (with the right set address code) was able to approve the data transfer and accept the 8 data bits. The reason why the data was sent 3 times was that it should make sure that the receiver did not receive erroneously information in the data network.
Some years later, around 1995 and until 1999, the DOLL was further developed together with a new group of developers in New Zealand and then became the DOLLx8 versions 1.0 to 3.0. DOLLx8 was then also extended into applications such as audioarticle in Hungarian Telecomputer 2nd year, 8th edition, 28 April 1997 where it was emphasized on that the system should send feedbacks to the master unit and where one could check the status of all devices connected to the network.
The DOLLx8 system was in the period 2001 to 2003Hometoys eMagazine February 2002 re-developed so that it could receive commands via text messages rather than just data and address bits, and was then developed for both cascade (2-port) and parallel networking using RS-232 and USB. Such cascade and parallel networks had its pros and cons, where links between the units had weaknesses in such way that it had limited cable length of 16 meters, while the RS-232 TTL version had the same limitation but with only 5 meters. With such limitations, the best solution was a cascade network where each device in the network was acting as a signal buffer, where data was received on port one and went out buffered on port two. The major drawback of such solution was that if a device did not work as intended due to errors in the system, the rest of the devices would not be able to communicate with either master devices nor the rest of the network. In the same period MISOLIMA received export subsidies from the Department of International Trade Promotion and held exhibition at Comdex 2002 in Las Vegas, United StatesLocal firms do Comdex (Bangkok Post – Post Database 4 December 2002)
From 2003 to 2006 DOLLx8 was also developed for embedded systems within aviation through Aeronautical Software and Technology LabWalden-Schertz, Jeremy, Directions in Aviation, THAILAND Opportunities, August 2003, pages 52-55 (ASLT)Chiang Mai firm two Develop software for the aviation sector (Bangkok Post – Post Database 27 August 2003) ASLT on ICAO ADS-B Study and Implementation task force ADS-B/TF/3 21–25 March 2005 in Thailand where ASLT developed a DOLLx8 streaming system for the transfer of GPS-, navigation (navaid), terrain, and MEMS gyroscope data for Electronic Map Display (EMD) and Primary Flight Display (PFD).Chiang Mai software niche group Developing 32-bit OS (Bangkok Post – Post Database 19 February 2003) The system could then receive GPS data in NMEA and binary formats, along with other aircraft data and transmit this along with the flight plan, terrain and navigation data so that both instruments could use the same flight data over one or two DOLLx8 data lines. The advantage of such technology was that the aircraft or helicopters would need only one GPS antenna for two or more GPS based instruments. The streaming system that was developed back then by ASLT was also used in later versions and is now a permanent part of DOLLx8 in connection with sensor streaming technologies and GSM data transfer via GPRS.
Today's system
The latest version of DOLLx8Hometoys eMagazine February 2011 is far more advanced than earlier versions and is based on 20-year experience in control systems and sensor technologies, where weaknesses in previous versions has meant that MISOLIMAMISOLIMA on FacebookSectors and Areas of Focus Chiang Mai Creative City 2012 has by research and development (R&D) developed, extended its expertise, created technologies and come up with products that are also suitable for educational purposes. The latest version of DOLLx8 as of February 2012 is 3.18b.
DOLLx8 bus signals
The DOLLx8 bus works with five logical signals at 5 volts each, where the bus-line requires resistors as electrical termination (terminator) of 120 ohm. The system uses standard UTP category-5 Ethernet cable (twisted pair cable) with eight contact points and RJ-45 as end-piece connected to i.e. the DOLLx8 eMaster unit. DOLLx8 devices may connect to a PC or server via UTP cable, but can also be used "stand alone" without a central computer.
This table shows the bus signals and color codes in DOLLx8 contact points on MISOLIMA eSherlock 1800Tx8 where the contact 'C2 is connected to the RJ-45 end-piece of the UTP cable. The signals corresponding to the same contact point (1-8) on the RJ-45 connector if the RJ-45 connector is held in the hand with the locking tab facing down and the cable opening is held towards the body. The connectors are numbered 1-8 and goes from left to right.
Contact point Signal Description Usage Wire color 1 DAT- Data active low Data between Master and Slave – in full duplex gray 2 DAT+ Data active high Data between Master and Slave – i full duplex purple 3 BSEL- Bus Select active low Output from DOLLx8 Master i full duplex blue 4 BSEL+ Bus Select active high Output from DOLLx8 Master i full duplex green 5 CLK Serial clock signal Serial clock with output from DOLLx8 Master yellow 6 Ground Connects to signal ground Ground for signal ground orange 7 +5Vdc In Connects to power supply +5Vdc may be taken from the USB port red 8 +12Vdc In Connects to power supply May be taken from i.e. battery with solar cell brown
DAT+ and DAT- signals will be activated as soon as data is placed in the internal data buffer memory. DAT- goes positive and then activates the BSEL lines 3.5ms after the DAT lines are activated. The bus speed in DOLLx8 network is managed by the CLK signal and are currently set to 36kHz, which represents 14 milliseconds between each clock pulse. The bus clock is controlled by a positive BSEL- signal (BSEL + goes then simultaneously negative or low) and remains high as long as there is data in the data buffer memory. When data communication is completed and DAT receives HEX 0D 0A (CRLF) from the data buffer memory, the BSEL+ signal goes high again while BSEL signal goes low, which results in that the CLK signal ceases. The DOLLx8 system is then passively in standby or hibernation mode with minimal power consumption that leads to zero electromagnetic interference (EMI) in the network.
Application